Before Battlefield 3, a highly anticipated video game by Electronic Arts Inc., is unleashed in stores Oct. 25, Syracuse University will have a chance to test it out early on Oct. 9. A performance by rapper Game, formerly known as The Game, will follow, University Union officials announced Wednesday.

‘EA approached us with this opportunity to do this free show,’ said Kenny Consor, co-director of UU concerts. ‘So it was kind of a no brainer for us.’

The event starts at 3 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium, and Game will perform at 7 p.m. Tickets are free and available Monday in the Schine Student Center box office to all SU and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry faculty, staff and students with valid college IDs. Ticket distribution is limited to one per person; a total of 1,500 tickets are available.

EA representatives will set up stations in Goldstein for attendees to trial the video game and receive prizes, Consor said. EA, a leader in the video gaming industry, developed Madden NFL, FIFA soccer and The Sims.

‘Battlefield 3 has a huge buzz in the video game world,’ Consor said. ‘I know this is one of the more popular up-and-coming games.’

Game, a two-time Grammy nominated hip-hop artist, will rap at SU as part of The Game College Concert Tour. As a former member of G-Unit, Game garnered popularity for hits ‘How We Do’ and ‘Hate It or Love It.’ On Aug. 23, Game released ‘The R.E.D. Album,’ which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Consor expects tickets to go fast, given Game’s reputation and the expected success of Battlefield 3.

‘It’s not often that we get to bring a very successful West Coast hip-hop artist out here,’ Consor said. ‘This is a huge name, it’s a free concert and it’s right here on campus.’

mainthia@syr.edu

Published on September 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm